Auger For Use With Trenching Assembly

ABSTRACT

A trenching assembly featuring a novel auger arrangement. The arrangement comprises an auger assembly and a digging chain rotatably connected to a trenching boom. The digging chain rotates, driven by a motor, to dislodge soil and creating a trench. The dislodged soil, or spoil, builds up near a projected path of the digging chain. The auger assembly operates to move the spoil from a projected path of the trench. The auger rotates independently from the digging chain and is positioned such that a projected width of the digging chain intersects a threaded length of the auger assembly. The auger may rotate faster than if driven by the digging chain, allowing the auger to have a smaller diameter than conventional augers. Further, the auger can be used in conjunction with a backfill blade to refill cleaned trenches without operation of the digging chain.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applicationSer. No. 60/743,816 filed on Mar. 27, 2006, the entire contents of whichare incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of work machines, andparticularly to a work machine having a trencher and auger attachment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a trenching assembly. The trenchingassembly comprises a frame, a trenching boom, a digging chain, and anauger. The trenching boom is pivotally connected to the frame. Thedigging chain is rotatably connected to the trenching boom, and ischaracterized by a digging speed. The auger is rotatably supported onthe frame, and is characterized by a rotation speed. The rotation speedof the auger may be varied dynamically and without affecting the diggingspeed of the digging chain.

In yet another embodiment, the trenching assembly comprises a trencherblade and an auger. The trencher blade comprises a digging chain. Thedigging chain is rotatably driven about a trenching boom. The auger isrotationally driven such that a rotation rate of the auger isindependent of the rotation of the digging chain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a work machine having a trenching apparatusbuilt in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is side view of an alternative work machine configuration havinga trenching apparatus built in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side cut-away of the trenching apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a bottom cut-away of the trenching apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front cut-away of a trenching apparatus with a trenchingblade in a raised position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference now to FIG. 1, a trenching machine 10 is shown. Thetrenching machine 10 comprises a power unit 12 and a trenching assembly14. As shown, the trenching assembly 14 is attached to the power unit 12at an articulation plate 16. In a preferred embodiment, the articulationplate 16 pivots about a vertical axis giving the trenching machine 10greater range of motion. The trenching assembly 14 comprises at leastone ground supporting member 18.

The power unit 12 comprises an engine 20 and at least one groundengaging drive member 22. The at least one ground engaging drive member22 is powered by the engine 20 and adapted for translational motion. Theengine 20 provides power to various components and motors of the powerunit 12 and the trenching assembly 14. The power unit 12 preferablycomprises a platform 24 and a plurality of controls 26, allowing anoperator to control the mobility of the machine 10 and to operate thetrenching assembly 14.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, the trenching assembly 14 comprisesa frame 28, a trenching blade 30, and an auger assembly 32. The frame 28comprises a connection assembly 34 and the at least one groundsupporting member 18. The connection assembly 34 is adapted forconnection to the power unit 12 at the articulation plate 16.Alternatively, the connection assembly 34, and thus the trenchingassembly 14, may be connected to a tool carrier. Preferably, theconnection assembly 34 is adapted to pivotally connect the trenchingassembly 14 to the power unit 12 for steering of the machine 10 at thearticulation joint 16. More preferably, the connection assembly 34 isadapted to pivotally connect the trenching assembly 14 to the power unit12 as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/610,428, thecontents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the trenching assembly 14 having anauger assembly 32 (to be later described) may be integral with a rigidframe trenching machine 10 of either a conventional walk-along orride-on configuration. As shown, the ground supporting member 18 of thetrenching assembly 14 and the ground engaging drive members 22 on thepower unit 20 comprise one or more wheels. The ground supporting member18 and ground engaging drive members 22 may alternatively comprisetracks or a combination of tracks and wheels. The ground supportingmember 18 of the trenching assembly 14 may be powered or unpowered.

Turning now to FIG. 3, the trenching assembly 14 is shown in greaterdetail. Trenching blade 30 of the assembly 14 comprises a trenching boom35, a digging chain 36, and a plurality of cutting teeth 38. Thetrenching boom 35 is pivotally connected to the frame 28 and pivotsabout a headshaft pivot point 40. The digging chain 36 extends around aperiphery of the trenching boom 35. The digging chain 36 is adapted torotate around the trenching boom 35, and is powered by a trenchinghydraulic motor 44 (shown in FIG. 4). Preferably, the speed of thedigging chain 36 is capable of being dynamically varied by operation ofthe trencher motor 44. The plurality of cutting teeth 38 is mounted onthe digging chain 36. The trenching boom 35 is generally moveablebetween a plurality of positions about the pivot point 40 by a hydrauliccylinder or similar lifting assembly.

The trenching blade 30 may be in a raised position, in which the cuttingteeth 38 do not contact the ground. The trenching blade 30 mayalternatively be in a lowered position, in which the cutting teethengage the ground. In the lowered position, the cutting teeth 38 engageand loosen ground material and move the displaced ground material, orspoils, to the surface, creating a trench as the machine traverses fromright to left as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Preferably, a digging speed ofthe digging chain 36 may be controlled by the operator to affect a rateat which the trench is created. The trencher boom 35 and trencher motor44 are controlled by an operator with one or more of the controls 26.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one spoils drag 45 is adjustablyattached to the trenching boom 35. The at least one spoils drag 45slides loosened ground material, or spoil, away from the trench thusreducing the amount of spoils reentering the trench. Preferably, aplurality of spoils drags 45 are used and adjustably attached to eachside of the trenching boom 35. In this embodiment, spoils are loosenedby the digging chain 36 and moved away from the open trench. Spoilsremaining by the trench are displaced away from an edge of the trench bythe spoils drags 45.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a bottom view of the trenching assembly 14 isshown. The auger assembly 32 is provided to move spoils generated by thetrencher blade 30 away from the trench. The auger assembly 32 is mountedon the frame 28, directly in front of the trenching blade 30 relative tothe direction of trenching. The auger assembly 32 preferably comprisesan auger motor 46, a hub 48, and an auger 50.

The auger motor 46, characterized by an output speed, drives a rotationof the auger 50. The output speed of the auger motor 46, and thus therotation speed of the auger 50, is preferably dynamically varied byoperation of one or more of the controls 26. Preferably, and because theauger 50 is driven by the motor 46 independent of the trencher motor 44,the auger rotation speed can be varied independent of the rotation ofthe digging chain 36 without affecting the speed of the digging chain ascontrolled by the trencher motor 44. This aspect of invention providesbenefits not found in prior art, for example in varying speed based uponsoil conditions. Thus, if operation of the trenching blade 30 causesspoils to accumulate faster than the auger assembly 32 is removing them,the rotation speed of the auger 50 can be increased, increasing theability of the auger assembly to move spoils away from the trench.

The hub 48 houses bearings and seals and is secured to the frame 28. Theauger 50 comprises a threaded length 52. The auger 50 is attached to thehub 48, and rotated by operation of the auger motor 46. Preferably, theauger assembly 32 is cantilever mounted and level to the ground. Morepreferably, the auger 50 is placed proximate the digging chain 36 andlow to the ground. Most preferably, the auger 50 is attached to theframe 28 at a point between the rear ground drive members 22 and thepivot point 40 of the trenching boom 35. In the embodiment shown in FIG.1, the auger 50 is attached to the frame 28 at a point between thearticulation plate 16 and the pivot point 40 of the trenching boom 35.

The auger 50 is preferably of a smaller diameter than the traditionaltrencher auger. A shorter flighting pitch of the smaller auger 50 andincreased rotation speed breaks the spoils into finer pieces, allowingthe spoils to be conveyed to a side of the work machine 10, resulting ina cleaner trench. Further, this feature makes it easier to return thespoils to the trench. The auger 50 may also be rotated at a higher rateof speed than the digging chain 36, permitting a smaller diameter auger50. A smaller diameter auger 50 allows for a more compact configurationand increased versatility of placement.

With continued reference to FIG. 4, the digging chain 36 defines aprojected discharge width 54. The flighting, or threaded length 52 ofthe auger 50 is in front of and traverses across the discharge width 54of the digging chain 36. This configuration allows spoils to betransferred from one side of the projected discharge width 54 to theother along the threaded length 52 more efficiently Thus, in thisconfiguration, one auger assembly 32 may do the work of a two-augersystem. Further, only one pile of spoils is created, reducing the workrequired in backfilling a trench.

Alternatively, and now with reference to FIG. 5, the auger 50 may betilted from horizontal. Preferably, in the alternative embodiment, theauger 50 is inclined relative to the ground. The inclined auger 50allows the auger flighting to be low to the ground near the diggingchain 36, while providing clearance from the ground to an end 56 of theauger remote from the hub 48. The auger 50 orientation may be tilted byadjustment of the hub 48. The adjustment may be made by inclining theauger assembly 32 with shims. Alternatively, the adjustment may be madewith a pin-slot arrangement. In yet another alternative, the adjustmentof the auger assembly 32 may be made dynamically using hydraulics. Thevertical distance from the auger 50 to the ground may alternatively beadjusted by mounting the auger in a movable frame with incrementaladjustments or dynamically with a hydraulic cylinder. The diameter ofthe auger 50 can be selected to optimize its mounting location andheight from the ground. One skilled in the art will appreciate thebeneficial aspects of a tilted auger 50 may also be accomplished with atapered auger. With a tapered auger 50, the diameter of the auger or thediameter of the flighting may vary along its length. Further, the auger50 may be both tilted and tapered.

With reference again to FIG. 3, the trenching assembly 14 furthercomprises an optionally installed backfill blade 58. The backfill blade58 is mounted to the frame 28 and is preferably located between theauger 50 and the power unit 12. Spoils can be backfilled into an exposedtrench without operation of the trenching blade 30 or the auger assembly32 by pushing the spoils with the backfill blade 58. In an alternativemode of operation, the backfill blade 58 may be used to guide spoilsinto the auger assembly 32, for backfilling into the trench.

In operation, as the digging chain 36 loosens spoils, the spoils aredeposited near the auger assembly 32. The spoils are then moved fromnear the digging chain 36 to the end 56 of the auger 50 by rotation ofthe threaded length 52 of the auger. Thus, a pile of spoils forms at theend 56 of the auger 50, instead of in the path of the trenching blade30. Spoils not removed by the auger assembly 32 are displaced fromproximate the newly formed trench by the spoils drag 45, as describedearlier.

The auger assembly 32 can alternatively be used as a backfill auger. Inthis configuration, the trencher blade 30 is raised and the trenchermotor 44 is not activated. The auger 50 moves collected spoils from thespoils pile to proximate an uncovered trench. Preferably, the machine 10is translated in a direction opposite a direction of the trenchingoperation while the auger 50 is rotated in an opposite direction than itrotates when removing spoil from proximate the trench. In this way, useof the backfill blade 58 and the rotation of the auger 50 will causespoils to be moved back into the trench.

Various modifications can be made in the design and operation of thepresent invention without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, whilethe principal preferred construction and modes of operation of theinvention have been explained in what is now considered to represent itsbest embodiments, which have been illustrated and described, it shouldbe understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than asspecifically illustrated and described.

1. A trenching assembly comprising: a frame; a trenching boom connectedto the frame; a digging chain rotatably connected to the trenching boom;and an auger rotatably supported on the frame; wherein the rotation ofthe auger may be operated independent of the rotation of the diggingchain.
 2. The trenching assembly of claim 1 wherein the auger is adaptedto be tilted relative to the ground.
 3. The trenching assembly of claim1 wherein the auger is inclined relative to a horizontal plane.
 4. Thetrenching assembly of claim 1 wherein the auger defines a threadedlength such that a portion of the threaded length extends on each sideof a projected width defined by the digging chain.
 5. The trenchingassembly of claim 1 wherein the trenching assembly is attachable to amotorized work vehicle.
 6. The trenching assembly of claim 1 wherein thetrenching assembly is attachable to a motorized work vehicle at anarticulation joint.
 7. The trenching assembly of claim 6 wherein anattachment point of the auger to the frame is located between thearticulation joint and a pivot point of the trenching boom.
 8. Thetrenching assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one groundsupporting member.
 9. The trenching assembly of claim 1 wherein theauger is substantially parallel to the ground.
 10. The trenchingassembly of claim 1 wherein the vertical distance of the auger relativeto the ground is modifiable.
 11. The trenching assembly of claim 1further comprising a backfill blade.
 12. The trenching assembly of claim1 wherein the auger rotates without rotation of the digging chain. 13.The trenching assembly of claim 1 wherein the auger is adapted to rotatein forward or reverse.
 14. The trenching assembly of claim 1 wherein adiameter of the auger is dependent upon a mounting location of theauger.
 15. The trenching assembly of claim 1 wherein the position of theauger on the frame is adjustable.
 16. The trenching assembly of claim 1wherein the rotation speed of the auger may be varied dynamically.
 17. Atrenching assembly comprising: a trencher blade comprising a diggingchain and a trenching boom, wherein the digging chain is rotatablydriven about the trenching boom at a rotation rate; and an auger,rotationally driven such that a rotation rate of the auger isindependent of the rotation rate of the digging chain.
 18. The trenchingassembly of claim 17 wherein the auger is adapted to be tilted relativeto the ground.
 19. The trenching assembly of claim 17 wherein the augeris inclined relative to a horizontal plane.
 20. The trenching assemblyof claim 17 wherein the trenching assembly is attachable to a motorizedwork vehicle at an articulation joint.
 21. The trenching assembly ofclaim 20 wherein an attachment point of the auger to the frame islocated between the articulation joint and a pivot point of thetrenching boom.
 22. The trenching assembly of claim 17 wherein a rate ofrotation of the auger may be dynamically changed.
 23. The trenchingassembly of claim 17 wherein a change in the rate of rotation of theauger does not affect a rate of rotation of the digging chain.
 24. Thetrenching assembly of claim 17 further comprising at least one groundsupporting member.
 25. The trenching assembly of claim 17 wherein theauger is parallel to the ground.
 26. The trenching assembly of claim 17wherein the orientation of the auger relative to the ground ismodifiable.
 27. The trenching assembly of claim 17 further comprising abackfill blade.
 28. The trenching assembly of claim 17 wherein the augerdefines a threaded length such that a portion of the threaded lengthextends on each side of a projected width defined by the digging chain.29. The trenching assembly of claim 17 wherein the auger is cantilevermounted.
 30. The trenching assembly of claim 17 wherein the auger isadapted be operated in the reverse direction.
 31. The trenching assemblyof claim 17 wherein the auger position is adjustable relative to thetrencher blade.
 32. The trenching assembly of claim 31 wherein the augerposition is operably adjustable.